Homemade Injera Recipe - Ethiopian Flatbread

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1. 1Step 1: In a large ceramic bowl, mix the teff flour, rice flour, yeast, sugar, and water thoroughly.
2. 2Step 2: Cover with a kitchen paper and leave in a warm place for 2 hours to rise. If it's cold, turn on the oven light and place the starter inside, but do not turn the oven on.
3. 3Step 3: In a large bowl, place the teff and rice flours.
4. 4Step 4: Add 70g (1/2 cup) of the starter.
5. 5Step 5: Gradually add 250ml (1 cup) of the water, mixing with a wooden spoon. Add more water, a little at a time, until you have a very thick batter that resists the spoon.
6. 6Step 6: Let the batter sit for 2-3 days, covered with a kitchen paper or loosely with a lid, on the kitchen counter. It will ferment and develop a sour smell like sourdough. In a warm climate, 2 days may be enough; otherwise, go for 3 days. You're looking for a clear fluid layer on top and bubbles in the batter.
7. 7Step 7: When the batter has reached the right stage, pour off the liquid at the top.
8. 8Step 8: In a small saucepan over high heat, boil 250ml (1 cup) of water. Add 80ml (1/3 cup) of the injera batter, stirring continuously until you get a thick porridge-like batter. This is called absit.
9. 9Step 9: Take the saucepan off the heat, transfer the absit to a bowl, and leave to cool to almost room temperature, about an hour.
10. 10Step 10: When the absit has cooled, blend it with the earlier injera batter in batches in a blender to get a smooth batter. Place back into the original fermentation container and leave to sit, covered loosely, for 1-2 hours until there are plenty of bubbles. If you want it faster, find a warm place; otherwise, it may take up to 6 hours.
11. 11Step 11: When the batter is bubbly, stir in 250ml (1 cup) of lukewarm water and 1 tsp salt. Mix well. The batter should be like pancake batter; if you dip your fingers in, it should run off leaving a thin coat, like warm custard.
12. 12Step 12: Heat a non-stick electric griddle or a large non-stick flat griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. An Indian tawa works well.
13. 13Step 13: Transfer the batter to a jug. When the pan is hot, pour the batter from a height of about 6 inches, starting from the outside in a circular motion, covering the pan completely. If you need to tilt the pan, do it quickly as the batter will crisp up fast, but it's preferable not to tilt.
14. 14Step 14: After about 30 seconds, you'll see air pockets or holes on the surface. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 1-2 minutes until the edge of the injera is curling up and the sizzling sound has subsided. If the batter was thinner, it may be done at 1 minute; thicker injera may take up to 3 minutes.
15. 15Step 15: Using a large, wide spatula, lift the side of the injera and slide it onto a plate. Turn off the heat and check the first injera. If it's too soft, sticky, or became a lump, blend a little batter with 40g (1/4 cup) rice flour and stir it into the rest. If it's too thick or dry, stir in 2-4 Tbsp of water to thin it slightly.
16. 16Step 16: Continue cooking the rest of the injera and stack them on top of each other on the plate. You can reserve 1/2 cup of batter as a starter and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
17. 17Step 17: Leave the cooked injera to cool to room temperature, then cover with clingfilm and let sit for an hour before serving. The longer you leave it, the softer and tastier it becomes; a day is perfect. Injera can be frozen for up to 3 months.
18. 18Step 18: In a large bowl, mix the yeast with a little of the warm water and stir to combine.
19. 19Step 19: Add the two flours you're using, along with the salt.
20. 20Step 20: Gradually add more warm water, stirring with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth batter with the consistency of thick pancake batter. You may not need all the water.
21. 21Step 21: Cover with cling film and let stand for 1 hour.
22. 22Step 22: After an hour, the batter will have increased slightly. Stir it and pour in the hot water, stirring constantly, until you get the thick crepe batter mentioned in the traditional method.
23. 23Step 23: Let stand for 20 minutes, then proceed to cook as above.